As Close As I Can Get To You
by Taisi
Summary: Kakashi held him through the rain, unwilling to let him cry alone. Kaka!Daddy/Yondy!Daddy


A/N: Short oneshot I threw together on a whim. It seemed like a cute idea, so I thought, hell, why not?

As Close As I Can Get To You

"Okay," he said suddenly, standing and slipping his little orange book into his kunai pouch. "That's enough for today. Head home, you three."

His students turned to glance at him, but he'd already dissapeared in a poof of smoke, reappearing on the limb of a tree just outside the training field, close enough to observe comfortably his students. Sasuke, unruffled in the slightest from the training, slipping the shuriken he'd been poised to throw back into his holster, standing and shoving his hands in his pockets; he gave both his comrades an acknowledging glance before turning and starting away. Sakura, finger-combing her long hair back into place, breathing a little heavily, standing as she watched her crush leave, turned quickly to her blue-eyed teammate and gave a hasty little bow, chirping, "Get my things for me, Naruto?" before racing after the departing Uchiha.

This left Naruto, who, panting heavily, pulled himself into an upright position, swaying a little bit on his feet. He glanced at the various weapons scattered at his feet and dutifully set to gathering them up, pocketing them smoothly, efficiently; Kakashi watched his steady hands for a moment, sure Naruto had never shown such a trait in training. The boy had also stopped gasping, apparently unaware he had an audience; unused to anyone caring enough to watch him, unless to point out his every mistake. The blond put a hand on the wooden dummy, pausing for a moment; staring up at the blue sky. Kakashi was sure he could sense the approaching storm; it wasn't too far off, would be upon them in less than half of an hour. He expected his youngest student to pack up and go home, call it quits and leave before the rainfall.

Instead, Naruto raised his hands and whispered "_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_", calling one of his clones to him. Kakashi blinked, leaning forward a little. _What is he doing? _Surely the boy wouldn't train anymore; he was exhausted, having woken up earlier than Sasuke or Sakura, even Kakashi himself, and begun his training immidiently, beating the sun into wakefulness.

Kakashi was more surprised, though he didn't look it, when the two Narutos turned to face each other; pulling his headband up discreetly, he viewed the two with his Sharingan. Absolutely the same amount of chakra in each. And then the clone raised his hands, lips forming the words, "_Henge no Jutsu_".

When the smoke cleared, the Fourth stood in the grassy field with Naruto, lowering his hands from his jutsu.

Kakashi's eyes widened, arms falling limply to his sides. This was the Yondaime, his teacher; there, a perfect embodiment. The same blue eyes, kind expression, golden tresses, tender smile. An ache filled the Jounin's heart, oddly enough, and although he was aware it was false, not the real thing, he felt an undescribable urge to run forward, to reach out and touch his sensei, to fill the man's ear with everything he had to say...

He squashed it; he'd long since grown out of such feelings, he was an adult now. It was time for him to face reality; Namikaze Minato wasn't coming back. But that didn't mean his son had to accept it.

The older of the two blonds smiled down at the younger, holding his arms out to him. Naruto smiled, throwing his weapons down and himself forward, into the offered embrace. The clone gathered him up, holding him close; whispering to him, smoothing hair back from his face. At that moment, Naruto looked smaller than Kakashi had ever seen him; small, like a child...They stayed that way for a long while, the Yondaime henge simply rocking the boy gently, the boy clinging to his white coat with trembling fingers.

Kakashi saw it coming before it happened, and found he had to restrain himself from leaping out of hiding to prevent it: the bunshin dissapeared in a cloud of smoke, and Naruto fell to the ground. He laid there on his back, staring up at the sky as it began to rain. He couldn't move; he'd held the clone for as long as he could, and the clone had been holding onto him with palpable desperation as well--like it had feelings of its own. But Naruto had been tired already, and doomed the clone to an early dissapearance from the start.

Still, as logical as what had happened was--_Clones don't last forever...--_Kakashi couldn't help jumping from his perch in the tree as it began to rain. He made his way soundlessly over to Naruto, who still lay motionlessly in the now damp grass, and pulled him--uncertainly, hesitantly--into the same embrace the bunshin had.

Through the rain and tears, Kakashi doubted (and rightly so) Naruto could tell it was him; the boy inhaled sharply, bringing his arms around Kakashi desperately, burying his face and clinging with all the strength he had left.

It was unreasonable to stay outside in the cold rain; and thunder and lightning would be upon them, too, soon enough. But even as Naruto shook in his hold, from more than cold and wet, and even as his trembling fists gripped Kakashi's vest, the platinum-haired man didn't move. He would stay there, in this field, with Naruto. He would hold the boy just long enough for him to stop crying, to fall asleep...for all he knew, to fall asleep in his father's arms.

He would stay, just like this...

_At least until the rain stops._

A/N: Well, there you have it. Randomness. I thought it'd be a cute short. -shrugs- Meh. Reviews?


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